Greeata (Rodian dancer from Jabba's palace) -- black eye bulb domes?

[detenten]

I'm toying with the idea of creating Greeata. My primary concern for the costume is visibility-- I almost entirely avoid mask-based costumes because I wear them to cons and in Mardi Gras parades after dark, usually making peripheral vision a huge safety issue. Greedo masks are few and far between on eBay (I don't think they've been produced since 1995 or so), so I hope/plan to sculpt and cast a mask so I have full custom control over my field of vision. I have figured around 3.75"-4" is the max trade off of having the biggest field of vision vs. having the bulbs be too large.

I want to buy the eye bulbs first off and determine if this is a fool's errand from the get-go. I can find acrylic hemispheres, or $1000 optically clear hemispheres, but I have yet to find any *black* hemispheres, and very little successful information on dying acrylic black or applying automobile tint to curved surfaces. Someone has done some dying on plastic yo-yos with RIT and heat, which I might try. Apparently there's an automobile tint called "Nightshades" that apparently Volpin has used with some success on Daft Punk helmets, but even he didn't end up recommending it...! A fellow here on RPF was working with Darth Vader lenses, but I don't have a vacuform machine to dye first and then shape.

So I think I'd prefer to buy some black ones already!

Does anyone have tips on purchasing "see-through" black domes, or dying black domes? Or would these be the part to splurge on to have custom made (by who?)?

Thanks!!!

 

[Sym-Cha]

Here's a member who made a Greedo mask : http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=204471&highlight=Greedo ... perhaps he can assist you?

Chaim

 

[division 6]

Look at tinted security camera domes.

 

[detenten]

Oooh, security camera dome. Brilliant idea... researching now!

Looking a little pricey, I'll keep searching... $45 for 7" dome (which is way too big), wonder if they even get as small as 4"

This one is way cheaper, $12, unclear how big it is though. * looks like about 4"... I might bite at this one!

 

[detenten]

My 4" domes arrived--- They're way too big!

I don't think security camera domes come smaller than four inches-- at the very least, I'm having a hard time finding any!

The search continues...

 

[vader1974]

Contact woodman, he cast me a set of eyes for my greedo. I got blue, they are not perfectly clear, but did the job. Now I need to get my fan / battery situation resolved.

 

[scythe1980]

might want to email troy from http://sevenheadstenhorns.com/. he has a few molds, including rodian, that he will recast as a custom order. he paints them all by hand so sending him a few pics would would not cost more. i have a mon calamari mask from him and i couldn't be happier. this is my second year attending cons as a mon calamri jedi.

 

[detenten]

Thanks for the recommendations!
There's some absolutely incredible Rodian producers out there, Woodman was definitely helpful to chat to!

I have to admit, a lot of the fun is being able to say I made it myself (even though my sculpting skills don't hold a candle to these guys!). (I also have to admit I'm not dedicated enough to screen accuracy for this project to justify a commission cost, though these masks look to be worth every cent of amazing craftsmanship put into them!)

I might have a go at casting a resin dome, I have a mold already that would be just perfect. It might provide better visibility than I think.

I'm also giving these goggles a look-see; we'll see when they arrive in two days.

 

[vader1974]

Interested to see how the goggles work and the dimensions.